Terminal connecter



Aug. 4, 1925.

w. J. HUNTER l TEMIYNAL CONNECTER Filed Jan, 19 1923 y a citizen of the United States, and

Patented Aug. 4, 19,25.

PAT

' 1,548,604 ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. HUNTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TERMINAL CONNECTER.'

Application led January 19, 1923'. Serial No. 613,788.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM J. HUNTER, resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Ter- -minal Connecters,

of which the, following is a specification. f t e My invention relates 'to terminal connecters, and the object is to produce a device of simple and eicient construction and' operation for securing a cable or an insulated4 electric conductor to the terminal clip without the use of heat melting means.

Another object is to provide the terminal connecter with an electrical intensifier.

With these and other objects in view my invention comprises novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed.A

Referring to the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a side view of a ,terminal connecter embodying my invention, showing the device as connecting a cable or an insulated electrical conductor to a spark plug terminal of an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a top view of the connecter and adjuncts;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view online ae Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged tional view of the terminal.

Figure 5 is a detached end view of the clip;

igure 6 is a detached end view of the cable ferrule, or thimble;

Figure 7 is a rear view of the cable thimble or ferrule; and

Figure 8 is a detached side view of the cable thimble or cap showing the dished or convex end.

Numeral 2 represents the terminal clip, made of spring metal, and formed into two horizontal secf 'arms 3 and 4, intendedto grip aroundthe stem 5 of a spark plug. The inner surface of each arm 3 and 4 is threaded at 7 (see simply clasp automatically around the threadedl stem.

` members extending 'I o remove the clip, simply reverse the action, or tilt it upward.

The clip comprises a bifurcate extension of one end. of a tubular or ferrule portion .8, which can be divided at 40 to increase its yielding condition, or it can be made whole. To close or shut off the interior of the vferrule 8, of clip, for preventing oil or other foreign matter entering the same to affect the conductor or lcable wires, I form 4out of the clip metal, at 30, a diskshaped division piece l0 (see Figs. 4 and 5) bent upwards against theopening of ferrule 8, see Fig. 4.

The end of the ferrule 8 remote from the clip, at 12, is formed with an annular shoulder 14, its object to be described hereafter.

Numeral 15 is the cable, with the electric w1res'.16 and outside insulation 17.

20 1s a tubular member or cap adapted to fit over the end of the cable 15, and having a closed outer end 18. In o-rder to intensify the current passing through wires 16, I provide the closed end 18 of the capwith a covex or cup-shaped formation 26, which provides a spark gap between the extremity o f the conductor and the opposing end portion 26, it being noted that the innerperipheral part of the latter affords a seat or sto for the insulation 17 so as to ensure a de nite gap effective to intensify the current (see'Figs. 4-and 8). The outer end 24 of the cap is made bell-shaped (see Fig. 8) caused by the openings 28 cut inthe cap and extending a certain distance along same (see Fig. 8), forming thereby diverging from the open endof the cylindrical thimble 24, and the outer ends thereof each having inwardlyl pro- ]eeting prongs or teeth 22 (Figs. 4 and 7) adapted to pierce thc insulation 17 of the cable 15. .v

The cap 20 is first placed over the end of the cable (see Fig. 4). Then the ferrule portion 8 of the clip is passed over and forced along the cap 20 till the convex or cupped end portions 26 abuts against the end closure 10 of the ferrule port-ion 8 (see Fig. 4). When the ferrule is being pressed over the cap it will force down the resilient diverging members 24, and when fully on the latter will forcibly drive down the teeth 22 into the insulation 17 and effect a lock of the cable and the cap. But to create a double lock, I cause the annular shoulder 14 of clip to automatically spring down behind the free inner extremities of the members 24 (see Fig. 4t) thus locking all the parts rmly together. l

From the foregoing it will be seen that my device consists'of two telescopic units, one of which can be readily applied to the insulated electric conductor and the other then slid on the first, their relative constructions being such that when they are thus associated they. are eliectn'adly locked together and to the conductor; that is to say the outer element is a simple tubular member internally flanged at its inner end, and having its outer end sealed against ingress of for eign matter and also pro-vided with a bifurcate extension which constitutes resilient gripping arms for detachable engagement with an electrical terminal ,and the inner element is a simple tubular ymember closed by a convex head at its outer end and having its walls peripherally out to provide iesilient diverging arms terminating in teeth which lie adjacent the insulation of the conductor when the element is applied to the end of the latter. Hence when the outer element is slid' upon the inner element the diverging arms are pressed inward and their teeth forced into locking relation with the insulation. At the same time the internally flanged end of the outer member engages behind the extremities of the arms and is thus interlocked with the inner member. The inner peripheral portion of the outwardly `projecting convex head ofthe inner element presents a seat or stop to the end of the insulation and thus spaces the inner portion of the head from the conductor to provide a definite spark gap effective tol intenn Sify the current, as previously mentioned.

What I claim is: n

l. A terminal connecter comprising two relatively slidable telescopic'elements, whereof the inner element consists of a tubular poi-tion having resilient securing members and being adapted-to receive one end of an insulated electric conductor, and whereof the outer element consists of a tubular member movable along the inner tubular portion to force the gripping members into locking relation with the .insulation of the conductor, the outer end of said outer tubular"member being closed by a sealing member' and having a bifurclate extension constituting resilient gripper arms fer detachable connection with an electrical terminal, said sealing member comprising a discal piece partially out from the inaterial of the outer element and bent inwardly between and at the roots of the arms.

2. A terminal connecter comprising two relatively slidable telescopic elements, whereof the inner L' element consists of a tubular portion having a closed outer end and resilient securing members remote from said inattesa end, said tubular portion'being adaptedn to.

receive one end of anl insulated electric con' ductor, and whereof the outer-element consists of a tubular member movable along the inner tubular member to force the securing' members into locking relation with the insulation of the conductor, the outer end of said outer tubular member beingclosed by a sealing member and having a bifurcate extension constituting resilient gripper arms for detachable connection with an electrical terminal.

3. A terminal connecter comprising two relatively slidable telescopic elements, whereof the inner element consists of a tubular portion having a closed outer end and hav ing resilient securing members remote from said closed end, said tubular portion being `adapted to receive one end of an insulated electric conductor which is spaced from the closed end of the tubular portion to provide a spark gap, and whereof the outer element consists of a tubular member movable along .the inner tubular portion to force the securing members intolocking relation with the insulation of the conductor, the outer end of said outer tubular member having means for detachable connection with an electrical i terminal. t

e. A terminal conductor comprising two relatively slidable telescopic elements,

whereof the inner element consists ular portion having an outwardly projecting convex head at its outer end and havin resilient securing members remote from said head, said tubular portion being adapted to receive one end of an insulated electric conductor and the inner peripheral portion of the head presenting a seat to the insulation and thus l spacing the inner portion of the head from the conductor to provide a definite sparln gap, and whereof the outer eleble ment consists of a tubular member mova of a tubalong the inner tubular portion to force the securing members into locking relation with -tlie insulation of the conductor, the outer l `the inner tubular portion to force the Secur- 12 ing members into locking relation with the insulation of the conductor, the closed outer end of said outer member having means for detachable connection with an electrical tere 13 minal,

lof an `insulated 1 relatively 6. 'A terminal connecter comprising two relatively slldable telescopic elements, whereof the inner element consists ofatubj ular portion having 'resilient securing memrs and being adapted to receive one end whereof 'the outer ular member movable along the inner tubular pbrtion to force the securing members into locking relation with the insulation of the conductor,l said outer tubular member having at its `inner end an internal projectlonarranged to engage behind the adjacent end of the inner member when the elements are' assembled, and havin at its outer end projecting gripper armsv or detachable'engagement with an electrical terminal.

7.=A. terminal connecter comprising two slidable telescopic elements, whereof the inner element consists of a tubuar portion" having resilient securing mem` bers and beingadapted to receive one end of an insulatedelectric conductor, and whereof the outer ular yportion to force the securing members into locking relatlon with the insulation of the conductor, said outer member having at electric conductor, and element consists of a tubelement consists of a tubf ular member movable along the inner tub' elements are assem force the toothed arms into locking engagement with the insulation of the conductor, said outer member having at its inner end an internal annular-shoulder which engages the adjacent ends of the. said armswhen the elements are assembled, and havingat its outer end projecting gripper arms for detachable engagement with an electrical terminal.

`Signed at New York, in the county of New Vork and State of New York this 15 day of April A. D. 1922.

' J. HUNTER; 

